Chapter 228: The Southern Steel Brotherhood

After dealing with his gains, Qi Suian headed south.

At the same time, he was studying the permanent solidification effect of the Tai Sui God’s trait.

He found that he had underestimated this effect. He’d thought it was just for protecting his armor value and modules.

But after careful study, he discovered something interesting: he could install weapons and bullets directly as modules.

This way, as long as he expended enough energy, the bullets, which were originally consumables, would be restored by the solidification effect.

He definitely hadn’t had this ability before. It was all thanks to the conversion effect of the three-piece growth module set.

If he were more extreme, he could use a gun’s bullets, magazine, grip, sight, and so on as individual modules. If he did, he could create an incredibly terrifying firearm.

Combined with the solidified bullet module, the power of a single shot would definitely be greater than a Floating Cannon’s.

But there was a problem... He didn’t have enough module slots, and the restoration time was too long.

So, he could only shelve these ideas for the time being.

Originally, he had wanted energy weapons because they could be powered directly, with no ammunition limits.

Now, thanks to the permanent solidification trait, he could bypass this limitation sooner than expected.

Previously, the best way to get around the limit would have been to install a bullet production line as a module.

But he already had the Floating Cannons. To use a comparable firearm, he would need three modules—for the gun, the bullets, and the production line—which wasn’t a worthy trade-off.

In terms of power, it might indeed surpass the Floating Cannons, but the Floating Cannon weapon module took up one slot to one-shot an enemy. The firearm would use three modules to... still one-shot an enemy.

More importantly, their functions would be redundant. Qi Suian would naturally not choose the latter option.

He had the idea now, but due to the constraints, he didn’t have the means to implement it.

Compared to technology-based modules, Qi Suian preferred modules from Extraordinary systems.

The clash between different systems within the modules could, in fact, grant the Tai Sui God even greater power.

’The south seems much more empty.’

’But that makes sense. With all the killing, the population is bound to be smaller,’ Qi Suian muttered.

Then, following the address Kemp and Cummings had given him, he headed for the Steel Brotherhood.

He had two objectives. First, to probe the strength of the Steel Brotherhood’s leader.

From the Sanctuary Grand Elder of the Holy Spirit Monarch, whom he had killed, he had learned that the leader was quite powerful, capable of taking on four Level 1 Sanctuaries at once in the south.

This meant the man was definitely not at the Level 1 awakening stage and had likely reached the Fire Seed awakening level.

If that was true, Qi Suian would consider cooperating with him to explore the Triumphant Eden.

And if it was false... well, then he’d capture the leader, torture him for information, and then toss him into the Melting Furnace as fuel.

His second objective depended on the Steel Brotherhood leader’s strength.

If it was the former, he’d fleece the sheep. If it was the latter, he’d eat the sheep.

Not a shred of mercy or compassion. Only cold calculation.

’This should be the area. Should I just...’ Just as Qi Suian was wondering whether to hit them with a Ghost Energy Storm from his Floating Cannons or blast them with his Martial Arts Will: Evil Dragon and Evil Tiger, he ran into an acquaintance.

"You’re... Jack?" As soon as Cummings came out, he saw the Armored Man. He recognized Qi Suian at a glance from the unique design.

"Cummings? You’re not dead? What a surprise." Qi Suian couldn’t help but click his tongue in amazement. "Hayman said the ones who wanted you dead were the higher-ups in the Steel Brotherhood."

"So you heard." Cummings hurried over, speaking enthusiastically. "It was the Second Elder. He wanted to usurp the leader’s position."

"But he’s already paid for it with his life."

"Jack, did you come to the south to become a member of the Steel Brotherhood?"

"I knew it! I knew you wouldn’t abandon your mutant brethren," Cummings said, rambling on.

"Well, I mainly came to see what kind of man the leader of the Steel Brotherhood is," Qi Suian said, casually making up a reason.

Cummings didn’t quite understand the phrase, but he got the gist of it. Jack was simply assessing whether the Steel Brotherhood was worthy of him joining.

’His coming to the south must mean he intends to join. He probably couldn’t handle it in the north anymore.’

Because the situation in the north had grown more chaotic, and the southern Sanctuaries were cracking down hard on the Steel Brotherhood,

the Steel Brotherhood’s intelligence on the north was almost completely cut off.

"But the leader isn’t here right now. You might have to wait," Cummings said bluntly. "I’ll arrange a place for you to stay first."

"When the leader returns, I’ll take you to see him."

Cummings immediately started making arrangements, leading Qi Suian into the Steel Brotherhood’s compound while giving him a tour.

"So where did your leader go?" Qi Suian asked curiously.

"I don’t know, but he probably went to the Frost Queen’s Sanctuary to beat up their Grand Elder."

"The Frost Queen’s Sanctuary is the headquarters of the Corpse Eater Organization. Their Grand Elder is the Corpse Eater Pope."

"They used despicable means to provoke a war between us and the purebloods, hoping to reap the benefits from behind the scenes."

"Too bad for them, they were too stupid and got dragged into the war themselves."

"And what’s worse, neither we nor the purebloods have any intention of letting them off."

"If the purebloods hadn’t intensified their attacks on the Steel Brotherhood because of what you did in the north, Jack, the Corpse Eaters would have definitely suffered the greatest losses."

Cummings didn’t know the leader’s whereabouts, but he was crystal clear on the situation in the south.

If he couldn’t even understand the state of the war, then his position as the Sixth Elder of the Steel Brotherhood would be for nothing.

"So, your leader... is there anything strange about him?" Qi Suian continued to ask.

"No, he’s very normal." Cummings was puzzled by Qi Suian’s question. "Why would you think that?"

"I was just thinking that most powerful people have their quirks." Qi Suian certainly wasn’t going to say that a Grand Elder from a Level 1 Sanctuary told him their leader was insane.

’If I said that outright, how could I get more information out of him?’

So Qi Suian continued to chat about this and that, trying to get information indirectly.

He also learned that Cummings had actually become the Steel Brotherhood’s Sixth Elder. But on second thought, considering he had brought back the modification technology, the Second Elder had betrayed them, and the previous Sixth Elder had died in battle,

it was only natural that he would fill the vacancy.

"You’re right. You’re in a similar situation. Now that you mention it, there is one thing."

"The leader’s mutation doesn’t seem to have stopped. He’s almost turned into a shadow."

"But he’s also become more powerful. Not long ago, after a defeat in the war, the leader personally went to those four Level 1 Sanctuaries and defeated their Grand Elders in a single day. That’s what eased the situation."

"Even Level 1 Fire Seed Armors are no match for the leader," Cummings briefly explained.

"Are there any details about the fights?" Qi Suian asked.

’With that kind of combat prowess, he’s definitely at the Fire Seed awakening level.’

’A Level 1 Fire Seed Armor could never be that powerful.’

"It’s because of a Fire Seed Source Fragment, right?" Qi Suian asked.

"I’m not sure. There are certainly a lot of rumors outside saying the leader has a Fire Seed Source Fragment."

"But I’ve never seen it myself, so I can’t be sure." As a confidant, Cummings indeed had never seen it.

"This is it. You can stay here for now, Jack. If you need anything, just find me. I’ll help you sort it out."

After they arrived, Cummings got Qi Suian settled in before speaking.

"If he’s fast, the leader could be back by tomorrow."

"It’s not very safe outside, so it’s best you stay here. I’ll go arrange for your food and lodging," Cummings said, and then left directly.

Qi Suian didn’t say anything. Instead, he was pondering something: the situation seemed to be growing more and more confusing.

’The leader of the Steel Brotherhood... could he be a protagonist? With a story like that, he sounds a bit like a protagonist who’s already risen to power.’

’It’s just that... besides me, how many protagonists are ugly?’

Compared to a mutant being the protagonist, Qi Suian was more inclined to believe it would be a pureblood, or a Corpse Eater who didn’t need to eat people.

The latter was more likely. After all, it was normal for a protagonist to be special.

Qi Suian himself was also very special. ’Everyone has protagonist plot armor. I can’t just allow myself to be special and not allow other protagonists to be special, right?’

***

"You also made it out of the Triumphant Eden alive. How is the power of the Fire Seed Source Fragment?"

In the Frost Queen’s Sanctuary, Fos, the Grand Elder and Corpse Eater Pope, had just returned when he heard the voice of the Steel Brotherhood’s leader.

Fos looked at him with a cold expression.

Beneath the shadows was a skull, completely devoid of flesh and blood.

At a glance, it looked completely mismatched with the body.

Fos knew this wasn’t the Steel Brotherhood leader’s original head. It was the legendary Fire Seed Source Fragment.

The so-called Fire Seed Source... is a person.

"Heh. What do you think?" As he spoke, Fos extended his right hand, which was nothing but white bone. This was the Fire Seed Source Fragment he had obtained from one of the Triumphant Sanctuaries.

"In that case, let’s cooperate."

"Let us return Eden to the face of the wasteland and complete the great work left unfinished all those years ago!!!" The Steel Brotherhood leader’s tone instantly became frenzied.

Fos’s gaze, however, grew even colder. "You’ve been corrupted by the Fire Seed Source. You’ve gone completely insane."

"No. I am perfectly lucid."

"They are the descendants of traitors. They should pay the price," the Steel Brotherhood leader murmured.

"I know. But you are just a ghost from an old era. You should have died back then when you were dismembered, not come back to life to make everything worse," Fos retorted.

"Bruce. The Tier Five Lord who escaped from the Era of Lords."

"Everything, all of it, is the fault of your domain, the Black Crystal City! Its appearance was the fuse that lit the world war!!!" Fos ended with a roar.

But on the Steel Brotherhood leader’s skeletal head, a strange and distinct smile appeared.

"Yes. So, are you not going to help me, Fos?" the Steel Brotherhood leader said, looking at Fos.

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